Rwandan Minister of Agriculture Dr. Agnes Kalibata has been awarded the 2012 Yara Prize for her work to increase food security. Kalibata is a member of the IFDC board of directors.
According to a statement from Yara International, “Dr. Agnes Kalibata is being awarded the prize for her great leadership in the transformation of food security and agricultural development in Rwanda in a relatively short period of time.”
Since Kalibata’s appointment in 2009, Rwanda has become food secure. The maize, rice and wheat commodity value chains have experienced tremendous progress. Under Kalibata’s leadership, all 30 districts in Rwanda now produce enough food to meet their needs, and more than half produce enough surplus to generate income.
Rwanda’s budget devoted to agriculture is growing, which is consistent with the country’s commitment to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP). Rwanda was the first country to adopt a CAADP compact.
Kalibata shares the prize with Dr. Eleni Gabre-Madhin, the outgoing CEO of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange.
